Can The Bucs Handle The Hype?
May 5th, 2020
Every couple of years the Bucs make a big splash in the offseason, it seems, and then they fall flat on their faces in the middle of I-275.
You name it, the Bucs have tried it: New coaches, big-name coaches, defensive gurus, quarterback gurus. The team has drafted big-armed quarterbacks and signed a fantasy football porn star at receiver.
The Bucs have tried to reach into the gloried past and attempted to plunge into the football future. They’ve tried coaches who babied players; they’ve tried coaches who thought they were a football version of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman.
The Bucs were hyped to the max on “Hard Knocks” and then proceeded to drop a hard No. 2 on the 50-yard line.
Each and every attempt, the Bucs fall on their faces. And the losing continues… and continues… and continues.
So with the biggest splash the Bucs may have ever made (it ranks right up there with trading for Chucky), getting Tom Brady in free agency and trading for Rob Gronkowski, do the Bucs finally win both the offseason and the regular season?
Closet Bucs fan Peter Schrager of NFL Network notes that while the Bucs may have lost America’s Quarterback, they have become through the wild offseason moves the new America’s Team.
But is this enough?
“Are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ready for the hype?” Schrager asked during a recent broadcast of “Good Morning Football.” “Because it’s coming. There is real hype around the Buccaneers. Are they ready for this? Because we’ve been down this road before.
“Brady goes down there and there is no blueprint for this necessarily working. I don’t have a collection of old veterans like Brady and Gronk in the twilight of their careers joining forces to suddenly win.
“Can this team live up to the hype or are they going to be a 7-9 team with an old quarterback?”
“I look at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who might be America’s team when this is all said and done.”@PSchrags has a burning question heading into the 2020 season… 🔥
📺: @gmfb pic.twitter.com/oQ6yuB0kFf
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) May 4, 2020
May 5th, 2020 at 5:39 am
Biggest risk is injury. If Brady goes down, I have no faith Gabbert could lead us to 4 wins even from mid-season on.
He’s a shell of himself, but with our weapons and as a backup, what is Cam Newtons asking price? If Jameis will play for 1 mil, and the red rifle for 7 mil, perhaps 4-5 mil secures Cam on a 1 year deal.
If not Cam, then what other options? Need a better insurance policy than what we have currently!
May 5th, 2020 at 5:43 am
I’m cautiously optimistic, fans have been down this road recently, media has done a great job hyping this team only for the season to be over before Halloween more often than not. Nothing is guaranteed, with an old QB and not a backup plan as of now, the season could turn out to be what bucs fans are used to seeing.
May 5th, 2020 at 5:49 am
Can the Bucs handle the hype? I guess we’ll see
May 5th, 2020 at 6:01 am
Previously, this team was soft, physically and mentally. Anyone who can’t see that it has changed has their head in the sand.
Coach Arians is starting to change the culture. He’s bringing in tough, heady football players.
Can Bucs teams of old have handled the hype? Probably not. I think that will change this year.
May 5th, 2020 at 6:18 am
If they can’t then none of them deserve a dollar of what they’re making. This is the pinnacle of pro sports.
May 5th, 2020 at 6:35 am
Agree Bucsfanman…
Bc BA holds players accountable and while he can endure mistakes up to a certain point, he will not tolerate lack of effort on the Field and in the classroom…
People like VH3 are gone and kept that kind of mentality going here… Also GMC, NICE guy but not a leader of WINNERS maybe the head of the Bat club…. HE & Batman Woods would have gotten along…..
I see a culture change and believe JPP saw it too. He would not have resigned to play for Dirk. You can’t let the inmates run the asylum and unfortunately those are the coaches we have had in the past 12 years or so…
Let’s hope the season is played & we at least make the playoffs.. I don’t recall ever being this optimistic in 40years rooting for this team….Go Bucs
May 5th, 2020 at 6:45 am
I still remember an old saying heard often in fighter squadrons … ‘Old age & cunning will overcome youth & skill every time’. Sounds good and there’s no question in my mind that there’s no substitute for experience, BUT … there does come a point where experience can’t overcome diminishing reaction time, skills, etc.
Bucs have several ‘old-timers’ in Brady, Gronk, Suh & yes LVD. They’re all excellent role models & have some incredible experience. And for the most part we’re really not an old team, and we have some excellent talent in our younger players, especially in our starting positions. Our critical factor this year IMO will be DEPTH. It’s actually quite a bit better across the board than in years past, but is it GOOD ENOUGH when the injury bug hits?
May 5th, 2020 at 6:46 am
Cam Newton would be like sending covid19 into a trump rally. Destructive virus
May 5th, 2020 at 6:53 am
No faith at all in the bucs backup QBs. Gabbert a former bust as a draft pick has thrown more ints than tds. Griffin is 30 years old has only thrown 4 passes in his entire career and gets paid almost 2 mil for that. I hope Brady doesn’t get hurt if he does the Bucs might as well forfeit the rest of the games. I can’t believe the Bucs are bringing these two guys back.
May 5th, 2020 at 6:58 am
Correction Gabbert 48 tds only 47 ints. Former first round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
May 5th, 2020 at 7:22 am
Weve been hyped many times, ever since we went 9-7.
May 5th, 2020 at 7:25 am
No problem !…the team now has leadership and accountability !
May 5th, 2020 at 7:28 am
Rather have Flacco than Newton.
May 5th, 2020 at 7:35 am
My biggest concern is injury to Brady. We have a rookie RT who will have to acclimate to the NFL. The only way to do that is through game experience when you are a lineman. I fully expect mistakes, at least the first 4-6 games.
That means we’ll need an extra blocker there to protect Brady in the beginning.
If Brady gets injured, I believe Griff is a better option than Gabbert, who may not even make it to the final roster.
That said, I have very little faith in Griffin either. I mean, sure, the possibility that he could surprise us all exists. We could have had a quality starter under our noses for years without knowing it. Wouldn’t that becsomething?
And the value of having him work with Brady is big.
But frankly, I wish we had a promising young QB being mentored.
May 5th, 2020 at 7:40 am
do the Bucs finally win both the offseason and the regular season?
———————————————————————-
Winning anything is a reason to celebrate around here. Hey now, let’s not get greedy.
May 5th, 2020 at 7:48 am
Better than the opposite of hype……losing culture….I believe you have to expect to win in order to win.
May 5th, 2020 at 8:03 am
Bonzai
Didn’t we pick up an UDFA QB?
May 5th, 2020 at 8:10 am
Not worried about the offense, unless Brady goes down, not worried about the front seven – my concern is the youngry defensive backfield. Those guys are talented and confident, they are going to learn from Brady and I believe great defensive back coaches, they are fast – but when the big bright lights come on – will they step up. Davis and Dean played in the SEC, but not a program like Bama or LSU. Teams also know they will not be able to run on the Bucs (hopefully). I just wonder when the bright lights come on and with all the hype, you’re gonna get the other teams best – this is there chance to seize the moments
May 5th, 2020 at 8:18 am
Does Flacco have any gas left in the tank Joe?
May 5th, 2020 at 8:48 am
I’m so tired about injury talk for Brady yea he’s been real injury prone🙄. And I get the age but seriously every player is 1 play from injury just shut up it’s football. We upgraded the most important position on the field that’s all that matters actually getting better. Not keep talking bout I have to get better I can’t turn the ball over just can’t do it yadayadyada. Forget that broken record I’m ready for something different forget the rest of you butt hurt fools I wanna see good football.
May 5th, 2020 at 8:56 am
Joe … Interesting article over on CBS Sports that deals with toughness of the 2020 schedule for all 32 teams.
Found it interesting that the Bucs schedule is pretty much middle-of-the-pack (.504 strength of schedule). They claim that the Falcons have the hardest schedule this year (.535 SOS), with Panthers also having a tough schedule (.523 SOS). The Saints (.516 SOS) have it tougher than the Bucs (.504 SOS) which is all GRRREAT NEWS far as I’m concerned.
May 5th, 2020 at 9:05 am
Yes….Brady/Gronk will bring the approach that no moment is too big. Unlike Winston who for whatever reason seemed to get overly amped up and would take an entire half to settle down, Brady will come out executing. Every play of every practice, every moment in training, every minute away from the field….all focused on execution. Watching the Last Dance about the Bulls and MJ, you see what a fierce leader brought to the role players. He prepared them by testing them in practice with fierce competition and an exceptional pursuit of perfect execution. That’s Brady….he raises the bar on so many levels simply by personal accountability of being the best. Winston could never hold anyone accountable because the overwhelming majority of our problems were due to him. He knew it…his teammates knew it….no matter how hard he worked, studied, hustled, etc….at the end of the day, you have to be what you preach. And don’t forget, we have Suh, JPP, David as well….these guys have been there and are warriors too.
May 5th, 2020 at 9:09 am
The Bucs haven’t tried everything which is why you didn’t mention they signed on off the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. Being a jackass you missed the obvious difference
May 5th, 2020 at 9:18 am
Maybe we become the little train
“I think I can, I think I can”
May 5th, 2020 at 9:20 am
The hype around the 2017 team was built off a fluke defensive stretch in the middle of 2016 and a TV show. There was no real reason to be excited about that team. We just assumed that 5 game stretch in 2016 where the defense was dominant was gonna be the norm. Turns out they were just incredibly lucky.
The “hyped up” Bucs in the past cant really compare to this 2020 team. Going from Winston to Brady is a legit reason to get excited.
May 5th, 2020 at 9:32 am
If you analyze the Bucs current situation objectively, the hype and postseason expectations are entirely justified. With all due respect to Ndog, we are vastly improved at QB. Brady does not need to throw for 5000 yards or even 30 TD’s for us to be successful. Just reduce the interceptions, pick sixes and fumbles.
We added a HOF TE to go along with an already talented group, which along with our Pro Bowl WR’s, gives Brady more weapons than he has had in a decade. DC’s will have nightmares trying to scheme against the numerous matchup dilemmas our skill players will create.
Rojo is a talented player with HR ability, as he showed last year. We improved at RT, and with Gronk our run game will be a threat. Brady plus balance = more nightmares for opposing DC’s.
On D, we kept a formidable front seven, which can stop the run and rush the passer, intact. We return three young corners who played better as the season went along. We added a monster at safety and if Justin Evans stays healthy then our back end will be much improved.
Our schedule is more favorable than last year, especially at the beginning, and we don’t have a two month long road schedule or a trip to London. Add all of that to the extra playoff spot and the hype and expectations are reasonable.
May 5th, 2020 at 10:02 am
“Can The Bucs Handle The Hype?”
No. They can’t.
May 5th, 2020 at 11:14 am
LMAO here. Hype? My Bucs have been the Kings of yearly hype for a long long time.
May 5th, 2020 at 11:36 am
Mike Johnson when you have a fraud under center that’s what happens.
May 5th, 2020 at 11:39 am
Flat out “NO”! It always happens with the Bucs, once they start thinking to much of them selves they fall flat on their faces.
May 5th, 2020 at 11:55 am
@Bucs Fan Since ’76:
Well said, and couldn’t agree more!
tickrdr
May 5th, 2020 at 12:17 pm
IMHO I don’t think there is any team that could make the playoffs if the starting QB went down halfway thru the season. I don’t believe neither KC or 49’s would have been in the super bowl with a backup QB. With that said I have all the faith in the world in Brady. What I’m most concerned about is the LT protecting his blind side even more so than the rookie RT.
May 5th, 2020 at 1:44 pm
The mentally weak are gone. McCoy and Winston were the weak ones who claimed leadership roles but consistently failed to act like leaders
May 5th, 2020 at 2:03 pm
For me is all about focus. Can Arians and the coaching staff keep this team focused and take all the press clippings away. Keeping young men focused when everyone is telling them they are going to the Super Bowl is not easy at all.
May 5th, 2020 at 2:37 pm
If Brady stays healthy and we don’t lose more than a starter or two we’ll be be in the playoffs even without a proven running back.
May 5th, 2020 at 3:21 pm
“I have no faith Gabbert could lead us to 4 wins even from mid-season on.”
Leighroy I absolutely have faith that Gabbert COULD lead us to enough wins.
If you simply look at his 2015 season with a crappy 49ers team he played more than well enough to do the job for a truly talented team…the Niners were not.
In half a season as a starter Gabbert completed over 63% of his passes for over 2,000 yards 10 TD’s against 7 ints. Put him on a loaded team like the Bucs and he’ll look even better. BA is seeing something or he would make a move. Perhaps he’s seeing “2015” Gabbert
Again IMO Brady is not here to play lights out. He’s here to lead and to prevent the Bucs from doing what they’ve perfected…beating themselves.
If the D rises to it’s full potential and the offense plays well this TEAM could be truly dangerous no matter who is taking the snaps. Obviously chances go up exponentially if it’s Brady but any team has a dropoff if their starter goes down.
May 5th, 2020 at 7:59 pm
St Pete, I looked it up. He won 3 games out of 8. In 4 of their losses, they did t score more than 7 points. Case closed.
May 5th, 2020 at 8:31 pm
Most teams cant handle the loss of their starting QB…my Conconcern is with everyone but Brady and Gronk..can they handle taking every teams best shot? I include coaching in that statement.
May 5th, 2020 at 9:16 pm
Back-up QB situation is pretty, pretty bad.
Otherwise I like our chances.